“ The timing clearly sucks… » Kevin Huerter knew it. By deciding to have surgery on his bruised shoulder, he would miss the rest of the events with the Kings. “ There's no other way to say it, but it's a successful operation. This is something I felt needed to be done for my long term health and so that I don't have issues with it in the future “, justifies the local shooter.
We recall that last month, he was the victim of a foul by Desmond Bane as he went up to the circle on a counter-attack against Memphis. With the arrival, a dislocation of the left shoulder and a tear of the labrum. Shoulder that had already suffered in the past.
A problem that does not date from yesterday
“ This is a problem I've had for a few years. It wasn't anything significant enough that I had to fix it and have surgery for something that I played around with and felt like I could get back to 100%. And with which I haven't had any problems for two years. With this latest injury – I would call it an 'episode' – it became more important », Develops the 25-year-old rear.
It is difficult in this context to take the risk of worsening a lingering discomfort. “ The decision then came down to whether to play through the injury or completely repair it with surgery. And where it was, it was 100% fixable with surgery. […] So I told myself that if I waited until the next time I got injured, there might be damage that I couldn't repair with surgery, and I would never be the same again. “, he supposes.
The same situation as Julius Randle
If he had continued to play despite his injury, doctors told him they were ” almost some » that his shoulder would eventually fail again. Now that the operation is behind him, he is focusing on his return to full health while his team is now “doomed” to go through the play-in to qualify for the playoffs.
And Kevin Huerter, like Malik Monk, will not be there to help Californians. “ This is the part that sucks. That's why we took a little time to decide, trying to find a solution to be able to play and contribute to the team this year and trying to find someone who would say that it's an option », says Huerter.
But this option did not present itself and the shooter ended with a delicate season on a personal level, with his lowest points average since his rookie season.
| Kevin Huerter | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | ATL | 75 | 27 | 41.9 | 38.5 | 73.2 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 9.7 |
| 2019-20 | ATL | 56 | 31 | 41.3 | 38.0 | 82.8 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 12.2 |
| 2020-21 | ATL | 69 | 31 | 43.2 | 36.3 | 78.1 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 11.9 |
| 2021-22 | ATL | 74 | 30 | 45.4 | 38.9 | 80.8 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 12.1 |
| 2022-23 | BAG | 75 | 29 | 48.5 | 40.2 | 72.5 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 15.2 |
| 2023-24 | BAG | 64 | 24 | 44.3 | 36.1 | 76.6 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 10.2 |
| Total | 413 | 29 | 44.4 | 38.2 | 76.6 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 11.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
